Science and tech strengths secure major events for Yokohama

Yokohama has been recognised as as a hub for innovation in science and technology, luring major events to the city in its key sectors of geoscience and information and medical technology.

In July 2019, Japan’s second largest city will host the 2019 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS), based on the theme “Environment and Disasters.” The six-day symposium at the PACIFICO Yokohama will attract an estimated 1,400 delegates. Topics will range from: Use of remote sensing satellites to observe natural phenomena, such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; Use of collected data to forecast disasters and reduce their impact; -Use of this technology to measure the increase in CO2 and effect on grain yields resulting from the loss of forestland; Applications in automatic vehicle control, collision avoidance systems, and visualization techniques to increase safety.

According to University of Tokyo Professor, Akira Hirose (General Chair of IGARSS 2019), one main reason Japan was chosen as host country was its excellence in the field of remote sensing, including the launch of JAXA’s highly-regarded advanced land observing satellite “Daichi#2”.

“The city of Yokohama was primarily chosen because of the presence of many major electronics and aerospace firms such as Mitsubishi Electric Corp., NEC, Toshiba, Mitsubishi Space Software Co., etc and also research institutes like JAXA-ISAS in the area. With the groundwork set for a multitude of research partnerships in place, both Japan and the city of Yokohama itself have proven on the world stage that they are at the forefront of this science and technology and will continue to be so in the future.

“And for geoscience scholars, Hakone, Mt. Fuji and similar nearby natural formations offer an excellent opportunity for geodetic and volcanic study.”Yokohama is also home to the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) Yokohama Institute for Earth Sciences, the national research center on global changes and dynamics on Earth’s interior.In October 2021 Yokohama will then hold the 2,000-delegate IEEE NSS-MIC (Nuclear Science Symposium and Medical Imaging Conference). The forum is a joint conference that encompasses the two fields of nuclear science and medical imaging.

Yokohama has 28 universities, with medical schools strong in bioscience and biotechnology fields, and many IEEE member professors. The city is a national centre for “Life Innovation” designated by the national government with huge R&D investment in Life Sciences.

The “enduring enthusiasm and future vision of the Yokohama contingent”, and “intense research efforts in related fields in Japan recently” played an important role in Yokohama receiving the vote as conference host.

Meanwhile, the city has also won the 15th World Congress on Computational Mechanics (WCCM) in 2022, with “the wealth of academic achievements and enthusiasm of the professors on this committee” key factors in the choice of Yokohama as host.

Themed “Pursuing the Infinite Potential of Computational Mechanics”, the city sees this field as one that transcends the scope of traditional engineering disciplines by exploring the potential of new concepts and technologies to address societal needs. As well as attracting some 3,500 researchers and experts in the fields of computational engineering and computational mechanics, the local committee has proposed an initiative to train the next generation of students.